Tag Archives: Board Games

Aconyte Books now teams with Atomic Mass Games to launch first Marvel novel series based on tabletop title Crisis Protocol

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This week marks another licensing partnership for Asmodee Entertainment’s fiction publishing arm, Aconyte Books, which has now partnered with Atomic Mass Games to launch a new trilogy of Marvel novels inspired by the popular tabletop miniatures game, Crisis Protocol.

The first of the series – Target: Kree – is scheduled to land this summer and tells the action adventure of Iron Man and Ms. Marvel clash with a cast of familiar faces from Guardians of the Galaxy.

Written by multiple award-winning author and comics editor, Stuart Moore, Target: Kree will be published in the US and Canada on July 6th 2021 and on September 16th in the UK. This first book in the trilogy will be available in trade paperback and ebook formats, with an audiobook version expected to follow shortly after.

A variety of translated editions are being planned with Aconyte’s European publishing partners.

Marvel: Crisis Protocol is a tabletop hobby miniatures game set in the Marvel Universe. Players assemble, paint, and collect highly detailed miniatures representing iconic Marvel characters. Players choose characters from their collections to form their own Marvel inspired dream team, and then pit their chosen forces against each other on an interactive tabletop space.

Will Schick of Atomic Mass, said: “One of the cornerstones of Marvel: Crisis Protocol is how it allows players the opportunity to create their own stories on the tabletop together within the Marvel Universe. While super powered, cinematic battles are part of fun, it’s the narrative that emerges as players control their squads of iconic Marvel characters to complete their games objectives that truly sets the game apart from any other tabletop game of its kind.

“With this in mind, we are extremely excited to be partnering with Aconyte to bring players and fans of the Marvel Universe all-new stories set amid the climatic confrontations of Crisis Protocol.”

At the end of 2019, Aconyte was announced as Marvel’s newest fiction partner for original prose novels, creating new adventures based around an exciting roster of Marvel’s comic book characters including Legends of Asgard, Heroines, Untold, and Xavier’s Institute.

More announcements are expected as Aconyte’s range of world-expanding fiction expands further.

Hasbro partners with Star Editions to launch online Personalised Monopoly shop

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Hasbro has struck up a new partnership with the personalised giftware specialist, Star Editions, to launch a new online shop for the family gaming brand, Monopoly. The new site has now launched to feature an extensive range of customisable, Monopoly-themed products.

Star Editions has created a bespoke, online shopping destination for Monopoly fans, featuring the property’s iconic colours, game pieces, and classic board design. Products include Personalised Art Prints, Mugs, Bags, Apparel, Homewares, Stationery, and even furniture.

Will Marston, CEO of Star Editions Ltd, said: “Working with Hasbro and the Monopoly brand has always been on our wishlist and I am thrilled to say that we have achieved that goal this year and are proudly launching www.PersonalisedMonopoly.com.

“Exclusive personalised and non-personalised gifts for Monopoly fans on a range of over 30 different product types. Together we have created some truly unique gifts which combine state of the art personalisation software and a ground-breaking product offering – raising the bar in online retailing.”

TV games shows The Cube and Lingo land new board game partnerships with John Adams

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John Adams has partnered with the independent distributor, All3Media International to bring new board game adaptations of the popular game show television game shows, The Cube and Lingo, to the UK.

A new board game based on The Cube is expected to land on UK shelves by July this year, replacing a previous version that became a top seller when it sold more than 410,000 units. The refreshed game will be accompanied by a new web-based element.

Meanwhile, the show’s iOS and Android app – which has been live for ten years – was also recently updated with a rebranded games pack and push notifications. A US version of the app is also set to launch later this year alongside the broadcast of Warner Media’s new US series, and an Australian version is in development following The Cube’s recent commission by Network 10 and WIN Network.

The Cube challenges players to complete simple tasks within the confines of a perspex cube. Recently rebooted in the UK as The Million Pound Cube, the format has aired in multiple territories since its debut more than ten years ago.

Elsewhere, and currently under development with an expected launch in the UK this summer, Lingo is a board game adaptation of the classic word-play quiz which debuted on ITV last year. Lingo pits teams against each other in a battle to find words to win big cash prizes.

The show has aired for 29 years in France, over 500 episodes have aired in the US, and it has been adapted in 17 territories worldwide. Lingo was originally produced by IDTV.

Jane Sharp, formats executive at All3Media International, said: “We’re looking forward to the arrival of these new ancillary products for The Cube and Lingo, two evergreen game shows that are now firmly established as viewer favourites around the world.

“As the formats continue to go from strength-to-strength globally, arriving in multiple territories this year, having modern and refreshed complementary products ready to be localised will only add to their appeal.”

Simon Pilkington, group managing director at John Adams Leisure Limited, said: “We are well-known for creating best-selling table-top games based on TV game shows, so we are really excited to be working on both Lingo and the new version of The Cube.

“We are confident that both games will become must-have family board games in 2021, full national distribution for both products is already looking very positive.”

ALIEN, Disney Gargoyles and Taco Bell lead Ravensburger’s latest gaming portfolio

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ALIEN, Disney Gargoyles, and a fully-licensed Taco Bell party game are among a line-up of new launches to be hitting the scene courtesy of Ravensburger for 2021, following what the US outfit of the global enterprise has billed as an ‘incredible last year.’

With a games division that continues to grow its breadth of titles and licensed partnerships, Ravensburger is continuing to explore new terrains in board gaming through impactful and engaging IP licensed titles.

Florian Baldenhofer, executive vice president, Ravensburger North America, told ToyNews: “Ravensburger had an incredible year last year. We’re so proud of our team; our games division continues to grow and find IPs that we can creatively translate to board games.

“We’re excited about the games in our 2021 lineup, which includes a number of fan-favorite IPs like Gargoyles and ALIEN, along with pop culture icons like Taco Bell and Pusheen. Our customers look to Ravensburger for immersive games and our team excels at finding the right balance between capturing and creating engaging gameplay.”

Leading the pack of a planned release of more than 275 products this year from Ravensburger, BRIO, Wonder Forge and ThinkFun is the officially licensed ALIEN: Fate of Nostromo, a board game adaptation of the cult classic sci-fi franchise.

With executive officer Kane dead, and the Alien stalking the halls of the Nostromo, players must work together in a cooperative strategy game to craft items, fulfill objectives, and compete one of five final missions, all while moving to avoid the ever-present Alien.

The title is swiftly followed by Disney Gargoyles: Awakening, based on the ‘90s Disney cartoon and another co-op game in which players take on the role of one of the heroes of the show to defeat Xanatos or Demona in one of four scenarios. Battle is done on a 3D cityscape board showing Manhattan as it was depicted in the cartoon.

Meanwhile, Taco Bell Party Pack Card Game sees players gather menu items to feed and satisfy their Crew’s specific cravings, while Marvel Eye Found It! Card Game is the latest in the Eye Found It series that has now sold over three million copies worldwide.

Ravensburger’s initial 2021 gaming line-up is completed by Mickey and Friends Magical Treats in which players help the gang sort out their lunch by matching colours, food, characters, or the number of stars on each card.

Elsewhere, Brio will also witness new lines enter the market with the BRIO Battery-Operated Steaming Train, the BRIO Mickey Mouse Deluxe Set, and the BRIO SMart Tech Sound Deluxe Set.

Ravensburger’s initial product roll-out for the year is completed with the GraviTrax PROP, a new line extension to the popular GraviTrax series.

Asmodee acquires digital gaming platform Board Game Arena in latest global growth plan

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Asmodee has acquired the online multi-player board gaming platform, Board Game Arena in a move that will allow the tabletop giant to scale up its online play and allow players around the world access to some of Asmodee’s biggest games.

Founded in 2010, Board Game Arena has emerged as a global leader in online board games, providing official online versions of more than 250 games across 40 languages to more than five million members around the world.

Asmodee has suggested that the combination of the two companies will help to ‘bridge the gap in board game get-togethers created by the pandemic,’ while also offering that five million member base access to hit Asmodee titles including Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Pandemic.

Board Game Arena’s already expansive catalogue of games includes Asmodee hits Carcassonne, Jaipur and 7 Wonders, of which more than four million games have been played since its release on the platform in 2018.

The digital platform has been one of a number in the gaming space to have seen a surge in popularity driven by the pandemic last year, and in 2020 it registered a 600 per cent growth, indicating the scale of the current board game craze among families and single players.

To support its growth and pursue its development, Board Game Arena’s management team has chosen to join Asmodee in a move that will allow Asmodee to speed up the availability of its key titles on the platform.

Grégory Isabelli and Emmanuel Colin, Board Game Arena co-founders, said:  ”Working with Asmodee allows us to continue our massive growth, with a partner that shares our love and passion for board gaming.

“Asmodee fulfills a sine qua non criteria for us: that BGA is always run by absolute board game fans whose core business is board game.”

Thomas Koegler, head of strategy at Asmodee, said: “Our growth is based on one crucial commitment: offer the best gaming experience to consumers and bring our brands to the widest audience.”

“Having a platform that allows players from all over the world to meet, play their favorite games together or discover new games is a natural fit alongside our amazing catalogue of board games. Skull and Splendor will be in the coming weeks the first of a long list of Asmodee releases on the platform: we hope that players will enjoy them.”

As with other Asmodee entities, Board Game Arena will remain independent, and current management will remain at its helm. Pricing policies and editorial line remain unchanged, with Board Game Arena continuing to rely solely on the quality and popularity of games, offering its services to all publishers and market players.

Take a first look at the new Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth card game from Steamforged Games

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Fans have been offered a sneak first peek at the upcoming Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth card game, a tabletop gaming title developed by Steamforged Games under a licensing agreement with Banijay Brands and Caryn Mandabach Productions.

The card game is scheduled for release on February 26, 2021 and will pay homage to the award winning series that follows the misadventures of the Shelby family as they fight to maintain an empire across the lawless streets of 1920s Birmingham and beyond.

In Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth, players can take a walk down those very streets as they try to gather resources to beat their rivals. Players use cards to gain resources and money as well as hinder their opponents. To get through the game, players must rely on their ability to bluff and garner intelligence as they make and break alliances in the bid to come out on top.

The game has been designed for two to six players with a playing time of 30 minutes. Check out the first images of the card game below.

Take a first look at the new Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth card game from Steamforged Games

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Fans have been offered a sneak first peek at the upcoming Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth card game, a tabletop gaming title developed by Steamforged Games under a licensing agreement with Banijay Brands and Caryn Mandabach Productions.

The card game is scheduled for release on February 26, 2021 and will pay homage to the award winning series that follows the misadventures of the Shelby family as they fight to maintain an empire across the lawless streets of 1920s Birmingham and beyond.

In Peaky Blinders: Faster Than Truth, players can take a walk down those very streets as they try to gather resources to beat their rivals. Players use cards to gain resources and money as well as hinder their opponents. To get through the game, players must rely on their ability to bluff and garner intelligence as they make and break alliances in the bid to come out on top.

The game has been designed for two to six players with a playing time of 30 minutes. Check out the first images of the card game below.

Asmodee partners with Blok.Party to bring CATAN to its digital tabletop device TapTop

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Asmodee Entertainment is embarking on a new partnership with the social gaming platform, Blok Party, to bring the wildly popular board game title CATAN to its TapTop digital tabletop device in 2021.

TapTop is a tabletop device that allows players to engage with digital versions of popular physical tabletop games, including other Asmodee titles such as Ticket to Ride, Splendor, and Codenames. The device also enables players to create their own tabletop games and card games, as well as interact with NFC figures such as LEGO Dimenstions, Nintendo’s Amiibo, or even Skylanders.

“I started in the video game industry in 1984 and have watched Catan take its place alongside the board game legends over the past 30 years,” said Gilman Louie, partner at Alsop Louie Partners, the lead investor in Blok Party. “Catan proves the value of having a social platform for board games, interacting with other players, making it easier to set up and play games, and allowing the game to merge digital and physical interactions through game play. This is a great partnership for both companies.” 

Since its creation in 1995 by Klaus Teuber, CATAN and its many expansions have sold more than 32 million games around the world. The game is published in more than 40 languages and is sold in more than 70 territories. As the world’s pre-eminent boardgame, CATAN is a truly global phenomenon and enjoys growing success in the digital, lifestyle and entertainment categories through Asmodee’s carefully curated deals.  

“CATAN has long been one of the premier board games so a partnership with the premier digital tabletop gaming platform is a natural fit,” added Christian Dunn, interactive licensing manager at Asmodee Entertainment. “Blok Party’s ambition matches our own and this deal is the first of several over the coming months as many great Asmodee titles will be coming to TapTop in 2021 and beyond.”

CATAN arrives on TapTop devices in early 2021, with more details expected soon.

Asmodee Entertainment’s Catan steps into footwear partnership with Plainview Shoes

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Asmodee Entertainment has struck up a partnership with  Plainview Shoes to take its popular Catan brand into the world of fashionable footwear. The new range, spanning flip flops and trainers, is scheduled to launch to the North American market in 2021.

Plainview has made a success of licensed footwear in the past, having previously partnered with Capcom to launch footwear based on its portfolio of video games. Under the Asmodee partnership, the firm will channel the Catan board game’s themes of trading, building, and settling into a new range.

 “We are excited that we can add Catan to our portfolio of gaming footwear,” said Lyndon Tucker, president of Plainview Shoes.

“After partnering with Capcom for footwear based on various videogames, Catan was the logical choice for us to expand into tabletop games and its huge fanbase. Catan is the premier boardgame of our time. It truly is a modern classic and many of us let this quirky German boardgame into our lives in our twenties.

“Catan is both full of nostalgia and very current, with its central element of cooperative competition for the good of all and the stewardship of natural resources. Gaming Properties in the licensed footwear space are greatly underrepresented and we know there are a great many fans out there who look to express themselves with gaming-inspired footwear.”

 David Harris, creative director of Plainview, added: “When Lyndon first talked about adding a boardgame brand to our portfolio, I had one hope: please let it be Catan!

“Catan has a unique design language and within the fan community there are many in-jokes around trading, building and settling. Concept works are already on the way and we are looking forward to the day when we can show more.”

 Since its creation in 1995 by Klaus Teuber, Catan and its many expansions have sold more than 32 million games around the world. The game is published in more than 40 languages and is sold in more than 70 territories.

As the world’s pre-eminent boardgame, Catan is a global phenomenon that enjoys growing success as a lifestyle brand through Asmodee Entertainment’s strategic partnerships with carefully selected premium brand licensees. The collaboration with Plainview is one of several announced in recent months.

“We know how important Catan is for its fans. Trading, building and settling is an integral part of many of their social lives, be it through their regular gaming nights or through Catan tournaments. The game is a regular social anchor for many and with its elegant, nature-focused design elements it has already become a lifestyle brand,” said Alexander Thieme, licensing manager at Asmodee Entertainment.

“It is great to see Plainview coming on board as one of the first apparel licensees in the US, following Hot Topic.”

Steamforged Games teams with Bandai Namco to launch Pac-Man: The Card Game

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Steamforged Games has partnered with Bandai Namco Entertainment to launch the iconic 1980 arcade game Pac-Man to the tabletop gaming space with Pac-Man: The Card Game.

The game is billed as an easy-to-learn family game that will see players gobble up fruit and Pac-Dot cards for points, while avoiding ghosts Blinky, Pinky. Inky, and Clyde at all costs. The title will be distributed in the UK and Ireland by John Adams Leisure and will hit stores in November this year.

With three game modes, players can get to know the game in Beginner Mode, level up for a greater challenge, or combine both decks in Bonus Mode to create an experience for up to eight players.

Mat Hart, co-founder and creative lead at Steamforged Games, said: “We’re stoked to be collaborating with our partner Bandai Namco on another household IP. The game will be a brand new experience that feels authentically like the PAC-MAN we all know and love, with art inspired by the retro arcade classic.”